Government Should show leadership on Abducted Girls

Government Should show leadership on
Abducted Girls, says UN Women National
Committee

The National Committee for UN Women New
Zealand is calling on the government to pull out all the
stops to help rescue the 200 innocent girls who are being
held hostage in Nigeria by the Boko Haram
militants.

“New Zealand should be showing leadership on
this issue, and actively supporting the efforts of the
international community to rescue the abducted girls and
bring them back to their homes, schools, communities and
families,” Sue Kedgley, President of the National
Committee for UN Women New Zealand said today.

“Instead,
the government’s efforts to date appear to be weak and
half-hearted,” Ms Kedgley said. “The Prime Minister
appears to be offering excuses for inaction, claiming that
“other countries are better placed to help,” and that
there is little the government can do except to designate
Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation.

“The capture of
the girls is a watershed event which could set back the
educational opportunities for girls in many parts of the
world, and that's why its important that our government does
everything it can to help release the girls.”

Ms Kedgley
pointed out that the government had pledged, as part of its
campaign for a seat on the Security Council, to engage more
closely with Africa and broaden our engagement
there.

“Yet at this moment of crisis, New Zealand does
not appear to be taking any leadership role on this
crucially important issue, or engaging with
Africa.

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